Can device



1967 B. F. KALINA 3,353,700

CAN DEVICE Filed May 6, 1965 INVENTOR' Ben E Kali-no ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,353,700 CAN DEVICE Ben F. Kalina, 211 8th Ave. W.,Bowman, N. Dak. 58623 Filed May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 453,761 3 Claims. (Cl.220-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is a collapsible cancomprising a pair of end caps with an annular wall between the end capshaving a frusto-conical conformation forming a centrally annular ridge.The wall has an annularly cut line about said annular ridge and aplurality of transverse cut lines extending transversely from theannular cut line-s to said end caps. The cut lines being cut only partlythrough the thickness of said Wall so as not to puncture the wall, andsaid can being adapted to receive pressure at its end caps to force theend caps together and fold the wall radially outward about the annularcut line and fracture along the transverse cut line.

This invention relates to containers more particularly, it relates tocans or containers and to their disposal after use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel can or containerwhich can be collapsed after use, so as to occupy a minimum amount ofspace.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel collapsiblecontainer or can which may be collapsed with only a moderate amount ofpressure after use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel can which canbe collapsed by pressing the end of the can axially toward one another.

Further objects and advandtages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the preferred form of collapsiblecan, with a fragmentary illustration of the can in collapsed positionshown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred form of collapsiblecan taken along line 22 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred form of collapsiblecan taken along line 33 of FIG- URE 1, with a fragmentary showing inphantom lines of the can in a collapsed position.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of collapsiblecan.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the modified form of collapsiblecan taken along line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a metal can or container havinglines cut along the surface of the can dividing the can into sectionswith the lines running lengthwise of the container and annularly aroundthe container and with the can having annular walls forming an upperfrusto-conical conformation and a lower frusto conical conformation, sothat when pressure is applied to the ends of the container, the can willfracture along the cut lines and collapse the ends to the can toward oneanother.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG- URE 1 the preferredform of collapsible can invention 20 is illustrated having conventionalmetal ends 21 and 22 secured to an annular wall 23 in a conventionalmanner. The annular wall 23 has a upper frusto-conical portion 23 and alower frusto-conical portion 23 in apposed relation so that the cantapers outward to the center. A

3,353,700 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 ice line 25 is cut annularly about thecenter of the can. The line 25 is out only partly through the thicknessof the metal wall so as not to puncture the wall. The annular wall 23also has cut lines 26 and 27, which extend lengthwise of thelongitudinal axis of the can and are positioned at angles to oneanother.

The lines 25, 26, and 27 together with the end cap 21 define twelveupper section-s 28 along the upper frusto conical portion 23', withevery other section approximately the same size. The lines 25, 26, and27 together with the end cap 22 also define or form twelve lowersections 28' along the lower frusto-conical portion, with every othersection approximately the same size.

The cut lines 25, 26, and 27 are out only partly through the thicknessof the wall, from the extension, consequently the can is air tight onceit has been capped by the ends 21 and 22.

The can 20 is collapsed by applying pressure against the ends of thecaps 21 and 22, axially toward one another (in the direction of arrows41). Since the can is bowed or tapered outward along the center line 25,the pressure causes the sections 28 and 28 to fold outward fracturingand separating along lines 26 and 27 and also along line 25.

The sections 28 and 28' will flare outward and fold toward one another,generally as illustrated in phantom lines in FIGURES l and 3. FIGURES 1and 3 under the sections 28 and 28' are relatively close to one another,thus greatly reducing the value of the can.

The pressure causes the line 26 and 27 to fracture or separate first.

It is intended that the cans be precut with the lines 25, 26, and 27already cut into the can before the can is commercially filled with thecommodity it is intended to be used'for, such as beer.

The cans 20 have a larger circumference, centrally of their length,along line 25, than about the end caps to assure that the sections 28and 28' will fold outward when pressure is applied.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of the can invention 42. Themodified form 42 has an annular wall 43 formed in a general accordianshape with a plurality of tapered annular ridges 44 forming theaccordian shape.

A plurality of annular lines 45 and 45 are cut about the top and thebase of each ridge 44 and a plurality of radial cut lines 45 are cutinto the ridges 44 at even intervals about the circumferences of theridges. The lines 45 and 45 and lines 46 define a plurality of sections50 and 50 along the ridges about the annular wall 42.

The modified can invention 42 also has conventional end caps 47 and 48secured to the ends of the annular wall 43 in a conventional manner.

The modified can invention 42 is collapsed by applying pressure to theend caps in a direction axially toward one another (indicated by thearrows 49) so as to force the end caps axially toward one another. Theforcing of the end caps toward each other causes the can to fracturealong lines 46 and forcing the sections 50 to separate along line 46 andalso forcing the sections 50 and 50' to fold outward in the similarmanner to that illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 with respect to thepreferred form.

The fracturing and separating along lines 46 and the forcing of thesections 50 and 50' to fold outward causes each annular cut line 45 and45 to move closer to one another, until the sections 50 and 50' arefolded relatively close to one another, thus greatly reducing the volumeof the can.

The can may also fracture along the annular lines 45 and 45.

The annular cut lines 45 and 45' and the radial lines 46 are out onlypartially through the thickness of the annular wall 43, so as not topenetrate through to the interior of the can. Thus the can 42 is airtight. Once the end caps have been mounted and the annular wall has noperforations or openings until such time as the collapsing pressureapplied, causes the Wall to separate along the cut line-s.

Thus it will be seen from the foregoing that a novel can constructionhas been provided which enables a metal can to be collapsed along cutlines to occupy a relatively small volume of space in relation to itsuncollapsed position, consequently the can when collapsed will cupy lessspace in garbage disposals or wherever the can is deposited after use. i

The cans in both the preferred form illustrated in FIGURES 13, and inthe modified form illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 may be made out ofmaterial such as aluminum, tin, steel, or other metals or plastics orother suitable materials. Also, the sides of the container may form arectangular shape rather than annnular with each of the sides bowingout.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that various changes anddepartures may be made to the invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof and accordingly it is not intended that theinvention be limited to that specifically described in the specificationillustrated in the drawing but only as set forth in the appended claimswherein:

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible can comprising a pair of end caps, an annular wall,said annular wall forming a pair of frustoconical sections in opposedrelation with the larger circumference of the sections disposedcentrally of the sections and the smaller circumference of said sectionsdisposed adjacent the ends of the can, said wall having an annular cutline in said Wall annularly disposed about the larger circumference ofthe sections and a plurality of diagonal cut lines disposed transverselyof said annular cut line and diagonally of one another, said can beingadapted to receive pressure at said end caps to force said end capstogether and cause said can to fracture along said cut lines.

2. A can comprising a pair of end caps, can annular wall between saidend caps having an opposed frusto-conical conformation forming acentrally annular ridge, said wall having an annularly out line aboutsaid annular ridge, and a plurality of transverse cut lines extendingtransversely from said annular out line to said end caps, said linesbeing out only partly through the thickness of said well so as not topuncture the wall, said can being adapted to receive pressure at its endcaps to force the end caps together and fold the wall radially outwardabout the annular cut line and fracture along the transverse cut line.

3. A can comprising a pair of end caps, an annular wall bowing out fromsaid end caps, said end caps forming a central annular ridge, said wallhaving an annular out line along the peak of said ridge and transversecut lines extending between said annular cut lines and said end caps,said lines only being cut partially through the thickness of saidannular wall so as not to puncture the wall, said can being adapted toreceive pressure at its end caps to force the end caps together and foldthe wall radially outward about the annular cut line and fracture alongthe transverse cut line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,139,143 12/1938 Wiswell 22062,870,871 1/ 1959 Stevinson 22072 XR 2,899,110 8/1959 Parker 2151.53,201,111 8/1965 Afton 215-1.5

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CAN COMPRISING A PAIR OF END CAPS, AN ANNULAR WALL,SAID ANNULAR WALL FORMING A PAIR OF FRUSTOCONICAL SECTIONS IN OPPOSEDRELATION WITH THE LARGER CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SECTIONS DISPOSEDCENTRALLY OF THE SECTIONS AND THE SMALLER CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID SECTIONSDISPOSED ADJACENT THE ENDS OF THE CAN, SAID WALL HAVING AN ANNULAR CUTLINE IN SAID WALL ANNULARLY DISPOSED ABOUT THE LARGER CIRCUMFERENCE OFTHE SECTIONS AND A PLURALITY OF DIAGONAL CUT LINES DISPOSED TRANSVERSELYOF SAID ANNULAR CUT LINE AND DIAGONALLY OF ONE ANOTHER, SAID CAN BEINGADAPTED TO RECEIVE PRESSURE AT SAID END CAPS TO FORCE SAID END CAPSTOGETHER AND CAUSE SAID CAN TO FRACTURE ALONG SAID CUT LINES.